And Then They Were Three
by WildFlower084
Summary: The future parents being their journey into the unknown world of parenthood. With a baby on the way, things are about to change big time for the two partners in crime. Picks up right after The Apprehension in the News.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: First, can I just say that I cannot believe I'm actually writing this as an alternate season 7, based on real events in the season 6 finale? I mean, this isn't a produce of my twisted mind. lol Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Takes place about a month after Bones tells Booth that she is carrying his child.**

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><p>The nausea had finally subsided. Groaning, Bones flushed the toilet and got to her feet. Slowly opening the door to the stall, she peeked outside to make sure no one else had walked in the restroom. Seeing she was alone in the cold, hard bathroom, she walked out of the stall. She would rinse out her mouth to eliminate the acid taste on her tongue, maybe splash some water on her face, and would get back to work. She never thought the smell of decaying bodies would actually make her vomit. Pregnancy definitely had its downside.<p>

A month had passed since she had told Booth the news. Her second month of pregnancy was coming to term and she had yet to tell anybody. The couple had agreed to keep her pregnancy a secret and, so far, it had stayed that way. Of course, he had tried to talk her into telling at least her father, but it just didn't seem like the right time. So many things could still happen: she could lose the baby, or even decide not to keep it. She still had a few weeks left before an abortion was out of the question. However, she knew the second option was a no-go since Booth would never allow her to have one in the first place. He would rather raise the child on his own than have her abort. Besides, all these options were just possibilities she didn't want to overlook. Once she would be sure that nothing bad was going to happen, once she actually knew how she felt about that unexpected pregnancy, then she would start telling people.

Bones stared at herself in the mirror. She didn't _feel_ pregnant. Other than the excessive nausea, things were the same as before. She hadn't gained any weight, and she tried to picture a life forming inside of her, she just couldn't. She wondered if Angela had felt the same way she first learned she was pregnant.

She hadn't seen her friend since Michael had been born. She knew Angela would be gone at least six more weeks, working from home until Hodgins would take over. Despite not being as close as before, Bones still missed having her best friend around. If only she didn't feel so scared to drop by for a visit, maybe she'd be able to talk to someone other than Booth about what was going on in her life.

Today was her first doctor's appointment. She had hesitated a long time before making it. Seeing a doctor would make her situation official. Knowing something was growing inside of you was one thing, seeing it confirmed by an ultrasound was another. She'd told Cam she would be leaving work early to bring her father to the hospital. Cam hadn't questioned her more, much to Bones' relief. Booth would be meeting her at the clinic. When he had insisted on being there for the appointment, she hadn't argued: she couldn't face this alone.

The lab was quiet when she walked out of the restroom. Deciding Wendell could handle an autopsy alone if one showed up, she went straight to her office. She didn't feel like seeing anybody. With her pale skin and bloodshot eyes from all the throwing up, people would know something was wrong. Besides, she had reports to type. No one would hold it against her if she worked in her office for a little while.

She was just booting up her computer when Booth walked in her office, beaming. Ever since she had told his the news, he had had this permanent smile on his face. A wave of happiness swept over her heart at the sight of him. She might have been still scared of love, but she knew she was close to fully trust Booth with her heart.

Setting a white plastic bag on her desk, Booth immediately crouched down and touched her stomach.

"Hello my little baby boy!" he said to her stomach.

"Booth!" Bones exclaimed, trying to push her partner away. "What if someone walked by? It would be pretty difficult to explain why you were talking to my stomach."

Sighing, Booth got to his feet.

"You're killing me, Bones!"

"Well, suck it up. By the way, how do you know it's a boy? For all you know, it could be a girl."

Walking over to the couch, he flung himself onto it.

"I brought you lunch." He said, pointing over to the white bag on her desk. "It's Vietnamese food. The Thai place was too far."

Bones looked over at the food and couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face. Booth had been so kind to her in the past couple of months, always looking out for her, sticking up for her, and consoling her when she needed it. He didn't deserve to have his life thrown upside down like that.

"What else are you here for?" she asked her partner before her thoughts drove her down a dangerous road.

"You have your appointment today."

"Yes, and it isn't for another two hours. Besides, we agreed we would meet at the doctor's office. If people see us leave together, they might suspect something."

"I know all of that, Bones. I just… I wanted to talk to you about something. You know, we…"

Booth was suddenly interrupted by a knock. Standing in the doorway, Angela looked over at her friends, a teasing smile on her face.

"Hey, don't mind us," she said, beaming at them. "You had something to tell her, Booth?"

"Angela!" Brennan cried.

In two strides, she had reached her best friend. Michael, cradled in her arms, slept peacefully.

Looking down at the tiny baby in her friend's arms, Bones couldn't help but think about herself in a couple of months. By Christmas, she'd also be holding a tiny infant. Would she make a good mother? Did she know how to be one? Up until two or three years ago, she hadn't wanted a baby. Maybe her initial desire had been the right one…

"He's beautiful, Angela."

The artist beamed down at her son.

"I know. Isn't he gorgeous?"

"He really is, Angela," Booth chimed in from the couch. "Congratulations again for your son."

His eyes shifted briefly to his partner's stomach, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. His partner's voice brought him back to reality.

"But Angela, are you sure it's safe to bring Michael over here? With the decaying bodies and all, he could get really sick."

"Relax, Brennan. I called ahead. There are no autopsies being performed at the moment and the lab is cleaned every night. There is no cleaner place in all of D.C., including my house."

"Yeah, come on Bones!" Booth said, walking up to the two friends. "You heard her: no cleaner place. Well, I got to go. I'll leave you two ladies talking."

Giving Bones a quick kiss on the cheek, he walked out of the office, hearing Angela squeal behind him.

"What was that all about?" Angela asked, once she was sure Booth was out of earshot. "Are you two together?"

"No," Bones replied, slightly flushed from the kiss. "Why would you think something like that?"

Angela chuckled.

"Oh Sweetie, we've got loads to talk about."

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><p>"Don't you dare do anything like that again, Booth," Bones warned her partner.<p>

"What?" her partner asked, innocently. "I didn't do anything wrong."

He kissed her again on the cheek.

"That's all I did."

Bones let out a low growl which reverberated against the walls of the quiet waiting room, making Booth chuckle.

"Bones, lighten up! I've done way worst to you than that."

"I'm sorry, Booth. I guess I'm just nervous."

Booth took her hand into his and gave it a small squeeze.

"It's normal to feel nervous. But, this is great! We're meeting our baby for the first time today! Aren't you curious as to what it looks like?"

"It'll look like a little peanut," Bones replied, matter-of-factly. "All foetuses look alike at this part of the gestation. You should know that. You've got a child. Didn't you accompany Rebecca to her appointments?"

"No." Booth replied, letting go of her hand.

Leaning back against the wall, he sighed.

Realizing she might have struck a sensitive cord, Bones immediately felt bad. She had been about to apologize when a nurse appeared in the doorway separating the waiting room from the hallway leading to the different offices.

"Temperance Brennan? Please, come with me."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews and your story alerts. It's always nice to know that what you are written is being appreciated. Enjoy the next chapter :)**

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><p>The hallway seemed to go on for ever. All Bones wanted was to lie down on the examination table, let the nurse do her thing, and go back to the waiting room. With each step grew her nervousness. Wanting reassurance, she glanced up at her partner walking by her side. His eyes were staring straight ahead, his jaw tensed. She knew him well enough to know she had hurt his feelings. How had she been supposed to know Rebecca hadn't brought him to her appointments when she was pregnant with Parker?<p>

The nurse stopped in front of a closed door at the far end of the hallway. In the tiny office, Bones took place on the examination table and watched as Booth sat in a chair near the door. She wanted to say something to him, but no words sprung to her mind.

"My name is Amelia and I will be conducting your ultrasound today. How are you feeling?"

"Very well, thank you," Bones replied, the words stuck in her throat.

Her nervousness had reached its peak. In a few minutes, she would be meeting her child for the time, making her officially pregnant. None of her feelings were rational, she was well aware of that; nonetheless, she still felt that way.

"Do you have any pregnancy-related symptoms? Maybe some nausea or have you experienced any dizziness? Are you feeling tired at all?"

She had been sick earlier today, but she wasn't going to admit it in front of Booth. He would probably pull her out of the field and only have her doing some office work. She wouldn't have that.

"No, nothing at all."

"Wow! That's pretty impressive! You're one of the lucky ones. Is this your first ultrasound?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to ask you to pull up your shirt a little bit. Don't worry, it won't hurt. I'm just going to apply some gel on your stomach."

"I know," Bones replied, bluntly.

Momentarily surprised by her patient's tone, the nurse said nothing.

"Well," she added, clearing her throat. "It might feel a little cold."

Taking a deep breath, Bones lifted her shirt up to her breasts. This was it: she was finally going to see her baby.

As the nurse squirted some gel onto her stomach, she glanced at Booth who was slowly getting to his feet and making his way to her. Grabbing her hand, he looked down at her tenderly, all signs of anger vanished from his eyes. Bones managed a weak smile in spite of her nervousness.

"Are you ready to see your baby?" the nurse asked as she typed something into the computer.

The couple looked up at the screen as Amelia lowered the transducer onto Bones' flat belly. As she circled the uterus, a tiny form began appearing on the screen beside them. The peanut-shaped embryo Bones had expected had transformed into a human-shaped foetus. Bones felt her eyes well up as a wave of love washed over her heart; a kind of love she had never felt for anybody in this world. She turned to Booth whose eyes were still staring determinedly at the screen, an undefinable expression in them.

"That is your baby," Amelia announced, smiling happily at them.

Bones examined Booth's stoic expression. Why wasn't he smiling? Shouldn't he be happier? Then, slowly, a smile illuminated her partner's face. Their gaze locked.

"We make beautiful foetuses together, don't you think?" Bones asked him, her own smile stretching.

The nurse stifled a laugh.

"Yes, Bones. We make beautiful foetuses," Booth replied, giving her hand a small gently squeeze.

"Would you like to hear the heartbeat now?" the nurse asked, turning on the speakers.

A loud, steady beat filled the room as the parents took in the first sound of their unborn child.

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><p>The ride home was spent in silence. Bones, lost in her thoughts, thought back to her appointment. The doctor had told her the baby was in great health, that she was doing everything just right, before giving her the date of her next appointment. Again, she had been told her lack of symptoms were definitely a blessing for her, as she was one of the lucky ones.<p>

As Booth stopped the SUV in front of her apartment, Bones turned to him.

"Is it true I'm lucky?"

Seeing her friend's confused look, she added:

"About my pregnancy? They kept telling me I was lucky I had no symptoms."

_Except vomiting when I'm examine decomposing bodies._

"Well, Rebecca had a pretty tough one. She was always throwing up, she was tired all the time and in a really, really pissy mood. She was actually put on bed rest for part of her pregnancy."

"Really?" Bones asked, suddenly worried.

She definitely didn't want to be put on bed rest. It would drive her crazy.

"Thank you for coming with me today, Booth."

"No problem, Bones. I told you; I'll do every parenting-related thing with you."

Bones nodded.

"I'm sorry about what happened in the waiting room. I didn't know Rebecca…"

"It's okay, Bones," Booth said, interrupting her. "Let's just forget it. There's actually something I wanted to talk to you about. Mind if I walk you to your apartment?"

Opening their doors, the couple got out of the SUV and made their way to Bones' apartment. As they walked in silence, Bones wondered why he had insisted on walking her to her door if he wasn't going to say anything. When they reached her door, Booth still hadn't uttered a word. Unlocking her door, she stepped inside, followed by her partner.

"Would you like some coffee?" Bones offered, as Booth shut the door behind him.

His silence made her slightly uncomfortable.

"No thanks, Bones. I can't stay too long. Rebecca is bringing Parker over for the weekend. I just… There was something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay…" Bones replied, hesitantly.

Grabbing her hand, Booth led her to the living room. Sitting down on the couch, Bones became aware of their close proximity. She could feel the heat radiating from his body. His hand was still holding hers, spreading that heat throughout her body.

"I've been thinking about this for a while now. You'll probably say no, but please, just hear me out."

"If you already know I'm going to say no, why are you asking me?"

"What if we moved in together?"

Bones stared at her partner, speechless. Her heart raced inside her chest as the meaning of the question slowly settled in.

"We can't move in together," Bones replied, as the irrationality of the situation made its way to her.

"Why not?" Booth asked, sending a wave of déjà-vu to his partner.

His tone reminded her of the day he had asked her to give their couple a shot. Memories flooded before her eyes as she mentally relived that day: how sad he had been when she was turning him down and his desperate tone as he begged her to listen to his argument. It was paining her to do this almost all over again, but them living together didn't make any sense.

"Because, Booth, it would be weird. We're not even a couple."

"Maybe we should be."

His eyes were staring deeply into hers, just like they had done the last time. She wanted to tell him to stop messing with her heart, but she knew she was doing all the messing. She didn't want to have this conversation all over again. She had hurt him once, and it had been enough. She just wasn't ready for "them" yet, whatever that meant. There were so many things going on, it wasn't the ideal time to start a relationship.

As if sensing his friend's internal conflict, Booth went on.

"We're great together, Bones. I mean, we've already slept together, I've told you how I feel about you, and we're having a child together. What more do you need to prove that, somehow, we make sense together?"

Bones felt trapped. She knew her partner was right. The weeks preceding the news of her pregnancy had been special: a bond had formed between them, she had felt connected to him like never before, and she actually thought she had lost that last bit of imperviousness she had wanted to lose before risking it all. The pregnancy had caused a setback.

"I don't know, Booth. I'm not good with change, you know that; and, right now, things are changing a little too fast for me. You can't say that you don't feel the same way?"

Seeing the disappointment and the hurt in his eyes, guilt washed over her.

"I'm sorry, Booth. But, I am not rejecting you again."

"Then what are you doing exactly?"

"I'm just… postponing my decision," she replied as she snuggled against him. "Can I at least think about it?"

Looking down at her, Booth let out a sigh.

"I don't really have a choice, do I?"

Putting his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her to him.

Bones felt herself relax instantly. All the stress she had experienced because of that first doctor's appointment melted away.

"Give me a few more weeks to adjust to my new life. Then we can rethink the whole moving in thing."

"What about the other thing?"

"What other thing?"

"The thing about us being a couple…"

She had been about to answer when her cellphone rang from his inside her bag. Leaving the warmth and comfort of her partner's embrace, Bones made a bee-line for her bag, leaving a discouraged Booth sitting on her couch.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you again for your kind reviews. They are really appreciated; they tell me I am going in the right direction with this story. Keep 'em coming! ;)**

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><p>At the moment, Booth hated all technology. His partner's cellphone had interrupted their conversation and Booth had taken it as his cue to leave. Grabbing his jacket, he had mouthed goodbye to his partner before leaving her apartment. Down on the street, it had started to rain, as though the weather had been in sync with his emotions.<p>

Turning on the ignition, Booth made his way to his apartment building feeling lonelier than ever. What was it about women never wanting what he had to offer? First Rebecca, then Hannah, and now Bones; twice, she had rejected. He had thought that, after their night together, that things had changed. She seemed more open to him, less scared of being affectionate with him. He had thought he'd seen something different in her eyes, a form of love that hadn't been there before or that he hadn't allowed himself to see. She'd been so frank with him in the past, telling him she had feelings for him. What had happened? Was the pregnancy scaring her so much that she had reverted back to her former self?

Or maybe God was sending him a sign to move on for good this time. It was possible Bones might not be the woman for him. After all, she was his complete opposite: he believed in God, and she didn't; he was the marrying type, she wasn't; he always followed his gut, she was the rational type who only based her decisions on facts. Right now, his gut was telling him they belonged together, while her head was telling her, once again, that it was irrational.

He didn't want to raise that child without her; not this time, not with _this _child. He didn't want to see it leave at the end of every weekend and have to wait for the next time he would get to spend some time with it. He wanted to be there 100% of the time, helping his partner as they both struggled to be full-time parents. There would be disagreements at times, but there always was. At least, they would be doing this together.

He didn't feel like he was asking for much. He knew marriage was out of question, at least for now. That was why he would have settled for just them living together. At least, while they lived together, there would still be the possibility for a relationship.

The ad for the house he had found for them was still folded in his pockets. He hadn't even had the chance to take it out and show it to her. He was sure that would have made her change her mind. The house was perfect: it was located in a safe neighbourhood, not too far from the Jeffersonian and the FBI headquarters. It had enough bedrooms for all of them (four, to be exact, if Bones decided she didn't want a relationship after all), it had a backyard where the kids could play, and the inside was fairly new, no renovations needed. A little paint here and there would have made the trick. They would probably lose their chance to make it their own, especially since she had asked for time to think.

Rebecca's car was already parked in front of his building. Booth immediately knew he would be in trouble. His ex-girlfriend hated to wait around for him.

They were both waiting for him in the lobby, Parker carrying a small sports bag, Rebecca carrying an angry look on her face. He walked quickly past them as Rebecca whined about him being late for Parker's drop-off. Parker trailed behind them, hating to see his parents arguing once again.

"Can't you guys quit it?" he asked, frustrated.

"Don't talk to me that way, young man," Rebecca replied angrily. "See what I have to put up with?" she added, turning to Booth. "He's been having this attitude with me for the past month. I don't know what is wrong him."

In Booth's apartment, Parker went straight to the living room and turned on the TV, leaving his bag and parents at the front door.

Booth could feel the blood boiling in his veins as Rebecca continued to give him a blast for being late.

"Bones' pregnant," he snapped, unable to stand being talked down like a child. "We had our first doctor's appointment today. That's why I'm late."

Rebecca, dumbfounded, stared at him blankly for a few seconds.

"_Your_ doctor's appointment?"

"Yes, _our_ appointment. Bones is pregnant with my baby."

Rebecca nodded slowly, as the news settled in. She had always known something was going on between his ex-boyfriend and his partner, but when Hannah had come along, she had thought that ship had sailed. Even Parker had stopped talking about his father's "lady-friend", as he called her.

"Wow! I mean… I don't know what to say."

"How about congratulations?" Booth offered.

"Of course. Congratulations, Seeley!" Rebecca said, pulling him into a courtesy hug. "This is big news. Does Parker know about this?"

_How could he? I haven't seen him in three months. _Booth thought to himself.

Instead, he shook his head.

"We haven't told anyone yet. You're the first person to know."

"What gives me the honour?"

"I don't know. I guess I just needed someone to talk to about it."

Then, feeling confident, he added:

"Can I walk you back to your car? I'd like to discuss something with you."

"Sure, let me just say goodbye to Parker."

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><p>They walked down the stairs and out the building silently, Booth gathering courage to say what was on his mind. He had given this a lot of thought in the last couple of weeks and he was sure, today, that Rebecca wouldn't be able to deny him his request this time.<p>

"What did you want to talk about?" Rebecca asked when they had reached her car.

Booth took a deep breath.

"I want to see Parker more often."

"Seeley…" Rebecca began.

Booth immediately interrupted her.

"He's my _son_. What have I ever done to you, for you to keep me from seeing him? If my job is your only argument, you need a better one. I'm a good father, you said so yourself. Parker needs male role models in his life, Rebecca."

"I have a boyfriend."

He could tell she was about to walk away from the conversation. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her to a stop.

"He needs his _father_. This attitude he's been given you lately, have you ever thought it was maybe he missed me? Maybe he blames you for not spending enough time with me."

The former couple stared at each other aggressively. Remembering the firm grip he had on her, Booth let go of her arm.

"He's just a kid. He doesn't think that way."

"You don't know that."

Temper flaring, Booth took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Parker is going to have a little brother or sister," he went on, in a softer tone. "I want them to know each other. I want them to have a bond. Rebecca, you can't deny me that. I've been good enough since Parker was born. I always respected your wishes to have Parker just for you. Now, it's my turn. Maybe we were never married, but he is still my son. I signed the birth certificate."

Rebecca let out a frustrated sigh.

"What do you want, Seeley?"

"Every weekend."

"So, what? I'll only get him for homework and bedtime?"

"That's still more than I've gotten over the last ten years."

Rebecca glared at him.

"Three weekends a moth; the fourth one, he's with me."

"Fine. I want holidays, too. I haven't had him for Christmas in two years now."

"I'll think about it. Start with this summer. Rick and I are going on a trip in Europe for three weeks, in July. I was going to send Parker to my parents', but I guess he could spend the three weeks with you."

A smile tugged at Booth's lips. He had never had his son for more than a week before. This was going to be a first.

"Thanks, Rebecca. I really appreciate it."

Fetching a pair of sunglasses from her purse, she put them on.

"I'll pick him up Sunday night."

On that, she climbed in her car and drove away.

Booth watched her go until she had turned the corner and had disappeared from his sight. Walking back to his apartment, he grinned. For the first time in his life, he felt proud of himself. He had stood up for himself, asserting confidently what he wanted, and he had seen his desires granted. From now on, he would have his son by his side more often. Rebecca had unwillingly given him the world. Now, he only needed to convince his partner to move in with him. Together, Bones, Parker, the baby, and himself, they would form some sort of family. The last time, he hadn't fought for her. He had given up at the first rejection. This time, he wouldn't give up. No matter how long it took, he would wait for his partner to come around. He just knew she would.

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><p><strong>Just thought I would give Booth some spotlight time. After all, he has his own issues to resolve too.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short compared to the other ones. Hope you enjoy it nonetheless! :)**

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><p>The sun was shining brightly, sending the entire city of Washington into its first heat wave of the season. According to the weather reports, such heat was to be expected well into the month of July. In the forest of Turkey Run Park, trees provided some cooling shade for the hikers brave enough to have left the comfort of their air conditioner to enjoy the beautiful, extremely warm day. Unfortunately enough, one of the most used trails have been closed off.<p>

Booth and Bones, accompanied by Wendell, made their way further away from the trail, into the close-grown trees, branches whipping their faces.

"A hiker found the body earlier this morning," Booth informed his partner and her intern. "Washington PD thinks it might be Allison Mayer, an experienced hiker who often used this trail on her own."

"We're pretty far from the trail," Bones replied. "What was she doing all the way here?"

"Friends say she often wandered off by herself. She found the rough terrain funnier to hike through."

She smelled it from yards away: the body. Whoever was lying in the woods, it was letting out some stench. She looked over at Booth and Wendell, both seeming to be unaffected by the smell. She felt her stomach rise in her throat. Closing her eyes, she took a few calm, deep breaths. It was one thing to vomit in the lab's restroom; it was another to do it in front of her intern and partner, in the middle of the woods. It was her job and she still had six months of pregnancy to go. She'd just have to endure it.

Two policemen were guarding the remains. They both looked up at the trio as they arrived at the crime scene.

Bones handed a pair of latex gloves to her intern before turning her attention over at the remains. The stench was unbearable, but she was determined to hide that fact to the two men.

"Get to work, Mr. Bray. I want you to quickly identify this victim."

Booth and Wendell exchanged surprised looks. Quickly recovering, Booth pointed down at the remains with impatience. Confused, Wendell shot a quizzical look at his boss before crouching down.

"I have to admit, Dr. Brennan, I am not quite sure why I'm here. I mean, you usually don't take an intern out on a crime scene."

Bones stifled a sigh of exasperation.

"There will come a day, Mr. Bray, when you will be called to a crime scene to do a preliminary assessment of a crime scene victim. I just thought it would be pertinent experience to bring out on the field with Booth and me."

Satisfied by her answer, Bones gave the young man an impatient, quizzical look.

"Can we work now?"

"Sure," Wendell replied, hesitantly.

Then, turning his attention back at the remains, he began analyzing the remains.

"The victim is female," Wendell said as he examined the pelvis. "I would say she was in her mid-thirties… Caucasian."

Bones took another step back. The smell of the body, the sight of the decomposing body made her breakfast swirl dangerously in her stomach. She felt her stomach rising once again.

"Time of death?"

She tried breathing slowly, but the nausea didn't subside. Mumbling something about going to the SUV to grab something she'd forgotten, she took off before even hearing the intern's answer. She walked quickly, ducking under branches that still whipped her in the face, until she was far away from the crime scene. To make sure no one would find her, she took a left. Further up in the forest, she stopped to lean against a tree. Away from the crime scene, she felt much better. Resting her head against the hard bark of the tree, she closed her eyes.

Was that it for her? From now on, would she have to stay in her office, waiting for the bones to clean before she could examine it? If she told Booth the truth, he would probably tell her to stay at the lab. But so much could be told from a crime scene. They couldn't just waltz in the lab with some remains when she hadn't seen the original crime scene? None of the interns were qualified forensic anthropologists. Cam would probably take her place.

Hearing footsteps on her left, Bones stood up carefully and listened. Someone was definitely coming her way. She armed herself with a medium-sized branch lying on the ground. She immediately dropped it when she recognized the shape of her partner, slowly making his way towards her.

Her heart began racing at the sight of him. He had traded his clean, standard FBI suit for a pair of jogging pants and a tight black T-shirt which gave way to too little imagination of how his body looked like underneath. Butterflies flew in her stomach as she shifted her gaze to his strong arms; those same arms that had held her and had comforted her, a couple of months ago. She had so willingly fallen into bed with him that night, why couldn't she allow herself that same freedom anymore?

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Booth replied, still making his way to her. "You okay?"

Bones sighed.

"I can't stand it."

"Can't stand what? The pregnancy?"

"No, not the pregnancy, the smell."

A smile twitched at Booth's lips.

"For the past couple of weeks, the smell of decaying bodies has made me want to…"

"Throw up?"

"I was going to say vomit, but yeah… throw up."

Booth chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" Bones asked, slightly offended.

"Now you know how I feel, Bones. I've never liked the smell of decay, but I've sort of got used to it. Give yourself some time; maybe you'll get used to it too."

Booth could tell her expression that she remained sceptical.

"Come on," he said, beckoning her to follow him. "The tech guys are wrapping up the body. It won't smell as bad."

Taking a deep breath, Bones followed her partner.

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><p>"I told you, Booth. I am not doing it!"<p>

Sitting at the Diner, the couple was finishing up a quick lunch before heading to the lab.

"Bones, he's your father. He deserves to know."

"I know. I'm just not ready to tell yet."

"You're three months pregnant. People will figure it out some day. I mean, you're not going to stay thin like that for very long."

Her glare told him she was not amused.

"Tell me why you don't want to tell your father yet. You must have a reason."

She did, but she wasn't sure she wanted to tell him. After all, what could he do about her worries? He could only tell she was worrying for nothing, that the doctor said everything was going as planned and that the baby was healthy as far she could tell. She knew all of that; she just had this nagging feeling something bad was going to happen if she began telling people. Things had their way of working out badly for her.

Seeing his partner's averted gaze, he decided not to press the matter more. For now, he would have to respect her desire for secrecy, even if he didn't understand the motivation behind her decision.

"Have you thought about my invitation?"

Bones groaned inwardly. She hadn't known her partner to be so persistent. She _had _given the invitation some thought. After all, it made perfect sense that two parents should live under the same roof and she could definitely see the perks of having Booth by her side as she attempts to take care of a human being. Yet, she was still afraid to agree.

Giving in to his requests would mean more change: both their apartments were too small to accommodate three people full-time, let alone when Parker would be over for a weekend. That meant they would need to find another apartment with enough bedrooms for all of them or buy a house. Was she ready for that kind of commitment? They weren't even dating. What if they did try dating and then it didn't work out? What if Booth got another girlfriend? He'd probably want to move in with her, then, she would end up alone… again.

"I haven't made up my mind about this, yet. I gave it some thought, though. I just don't think it's a good idea."

"It's a great idea, Bones. Our child could have both its parents around, we could support each other and help each other if one of us has a problem; we could be just like a regular family."

Bones nodded. When he put it that way, the idea didn't seem so bad.

"I'll think about it again."

Booth smiled, knowing fully well she was slowly coming around.

"That's all I ask."


	5. Chapter 5

As Bones made her way to the Diner, she wondered what her partner had to tell her that was so urgent. He had called her earlier this morning and had asked her to meet him for lunch at their usual hangout. When she had asked him why he couldn't tell her over the phone, he had replied that what he had to tell her could only be told in person. Reluctantly, she had agreed to meet him for lunch.

Pushing the door to the Diner, she looked around for her partner. She found him sitting at their usual table near the window, alone. She took a chair across from him.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Tempe!" someone exclaimed before Booth had a chance to answer.

Throwing a quick glare at her partner, Bones got to her feet to greet her father.

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

"Booth invited me over for lunch. He said you had something to tell me."

As they sat back down, this time sitting beside her partner, Bones felt her heart racing inside her chest. She couldn't believe her partner had managed to keep this meeting secret from her. She should have known something was amiss when he had called her this morning.

How would her father react to the news that he was going to be a grandfather? Would he be happy for them? He would probably insist on them getting married. She knew Booth was forcing himself not to bring up the subject, but she knew him well enough to know it couldn't be too far from his mind. Booth wanted to get married; she knew that. She just didn't see the point in it.

"So, Tempe, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

Bones turned to her partner and shot him an angry look. A smile tugged at his lips which only made her anger boil even more. Rolling her eyes at him, she turned back to her father.

"If you guys want to tell me that you are a couple, there's no need to," Max added before his daughter had the chance to talk. "I figured that out on my own. The way you two spoke to each other the last time I saw you, those looks you were having; I just knew. I never thought I'd see the day, to be honest."

"Dad, that's not quite what we want to tell you," Bones cut in, before her father could add anything else.

"You're getting married?"

"No! Dad, could you stop guessing, please? It's probably not what you think, anyway."

"I'm sorry, Honey," Max replied, confused by his daughter's attitude. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Don't worry, Max. Bones has been a little cranky lately," Booth replied, lowering his voice.

"I can hear you, Booth," Bones went on, annoyed. "I am not cranky. I'm pregnant, Dad."

"Who's pregnant?"

"I am."

"You're kidding, right? I thought you didn't want children."

"Max, Bones doesn't kid. You know that," Booth replied.

"Right. How long have you known for?"

"Three months. I found out during the bowling alley case. Booth's the father."

Looking from his daughter to her partner, Max couldn't believe what he was hearing. Since that undercover assignment a few months back, he had known something had been up between those two. He had had some doubts during their quick meal together, but when Booth had kissed his daughter on the cheek with no complaints on her part, he had been pretty sure they had been hiding something from him.

"That is amazing news! I can't believe it. I'm going to be a grandpa! So, what now? Will you be getting married?"

Bones scoffed.

"Having a baby together doesn't mean we will get married, Dad."

"Well, Bones, never say never. I mean, we don't know what the future holds for us."

Bones turned to her partner.

"What are you saying?"

"A child should be able to grow up with both its parents by its side at all times," Booth replied.

"That doesn't mean we need to get married. Isn't that the reason why you wanted us to move in together?"

"You two are moving together?"

"Yes!"

"No!"

Max looked at the couple, confused.

"Yes or no?"

"No, Dad. We are not moving in together. It's just something Booth and I were considering, that's all."

Bones looked over at her partner, looking for support.

"Right, well, I've got to get going," Booth announced. "I have to interview Hemmings. They brought him this morning, and I don't know how much longer we can hold him without questioning him."

Giving his partner a kiss on the cheek, he threw some money on the table.

"See you later, Bones."

Looking back at him, she watched him leave the restaurant. When she brought her gaze back to her father, she found him looking at her, a grin on his face.

"What?"

"I've just never seen you two like this before. Does he kiss you often?"

"No, he doesn't. We are not a couple, Dad. We are just having a baby together."

Max nodded.

"He's right, you know. A child should grow up with both its parents around."

Sensing a rebuttal coming his way, he quickly added:

"I know I'm not one to talk, Tempe. Your mother and I left you when you were just a teenager, but we were there all of your childhood. You can't tell me you weren't happy with us."

Bones said nothing.

"Listen, Honey. I know you're scared. It's a big commitment to move in with a man, especially when it's your first time. But you have got to think about that baby, Tempe. From now on, it's not going to be just about you. That baby will be depending on you, and it will count on you to give it love and affection. You've got a man who is willing to put aside his desire to get married just to be in that baby's life. If you don't want to marry him, I think moving in with him would make a pretty good compromise."

"You're right."

"I am?" Max replied, surprised his daughter had agreed so quickly with him.

Bones nodded.

"Since I don't want to marry Booth, moving in with him _is_ a good compromise. You were right."

"I know I was," Max teased her, still slightly surprised by her blunt answer. "So, will you be finding out whether it's a boy or a girl?"

* * *

><p><strong>What do you think? Should they find out if the baby is a boy or a girl? Who do you think would want to know: Booth or Bones? What do you think it is? I want to hear your take on the story. :)<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews for the last chapter, it was pretty fun to hear your opinions on the matter of a baby-Booth girl or baby-Booth boy. I have to be honest with you guys, though. At the moment, I'm going through a pretty rough time emotionally. In a nutshell (because I don't want to bore strangers about my personal life), I don't think I'm going to be able to write happy-we're-in-love-and-having-a-baby-together stories for a while. I will try my best though, it just means that maybe the updates won't be as quick as they used to be. Be patient with me, I promise I will finish this because I really that story and it makes the long summer hiatus seem short. lol I just feel bad because so many people have put this story on alert and I don't want to let anyone down. But I just can't do it at the moment, there might be days when I'm feeling a little better and will be able to work on that story but until then, I'm asking to please be patient.**

**On a more positive note, enjoy this chapter! :)**

* * *

><p>Finally alone, Bones made her way to her office. From above, she could hear parts of the conversation happening on the platform. After Booth had arrived and had informed them of the arrest of the man who had brutally murdered the hiker found in Turkey Run Parker, the team had gathered upstairs to celebrate. Bones, on the other hand, needed some quiet time to think about her situation without risking Sweets or Angela questioning her.<p>

Her father had reacted pretty well to the news of her pregnancy, which definitely made things easier for her. Having told her father had given her some confidence to now tell the rest of her friends. Now was better than never; besides, she would have to talk to Cam soon enough. Her doctor had advised her to go on maternity leave around her six month of pregnancy. Of course, she wasn't planning on taking that advice into consideration. She figured her doctor had meant that, soon enough, she wouldn't be able to be standing up all day or crouching down at a crime scene. There was always the alternative of working in her office until she gave birth. The interns could handle the examinations; she'd just have to go supervise every now and then.

Max had also told her to give Booth a chance. Coming from her father, the advice felt strange. Wasn't a father supposed to _not_ want to give away his daughter? Sure, Booth and her weren't getting married, but Bones couldn't help but think Max had too willingly accepted their situation. He hadn't even imposed marriage.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see her best friend standing in the doorway.

"Angela! What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.

"I came to get you. What are you doing in your office? Everybody is wondering where you are. And I think Booth misses you," she added, teasingly.

"Ange..." Bones warned her friend.

"Come on, Brennan! When is the last time you've had a drink?"

Bones sighed.

"It's been too long."

"Exactly!" Angela replied, oblivious to the true meaning of her friend's words. "You need to relax once in a while. Everybody is saying you have been sort of on edge lately. Is there something wrong?"

Bones looked up at her best friend, the only person (besides Booth) who had always stuck by her side. Bones had been one of the first people to know about her friend's pregnancy; yet, Angela didn't even know about hers after three months. Lowering her hand to her stomach, she rubbed the tiny bump that had appeared over the past couple of days.

"I'm pregnant."

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Angela closed the door behind her and came to stand beside her friend's desk.

"You're kidding, right?"

Bones shook her head. Why did everyone think she was kidding? Why would she begin to tell people she was pregnant if it weren't true?

"I really am pregnant, Angela. Three months actually."

Bones waited for a reaction. Angela was the only person she had been honest to after her night spent with her partner. She had pulled all of the details of the night out of her, making Bones believe, if Angela could have this much passion with criminals, she'd make them confess their crimes.

Suddenly, the meaning of the three months seemed to down on her friend.

"Is Booth the father?" Angela asked, half-whispering, half-hissing.

Bones nodded.

Angela squealed delightedly as she pulled her friend into a hug.

"Oh… my…. gosh!" Angela said, still squealing, as she let go of her friend. "How did Booth react when you told him?"

"He was happy."

A large smile spread across Angela's lips.

"Awww Sweetie, that is so great! I am so happy for you two. Does anyone else know?"

"Booth told Rebecca a few weeks ago and I told my father yesterday. He seemed to take it pretty well."

Bones paused as she debated whether or not to inform her friend of Booth's invitation. She had pretty much made up her mind after talking to her father, but she was still curious to know what Angela had to say about it.

"Booth asked me to move in with him," she said, bluntly.

Angela looked at her, surprised.

"What did you tell him?"

"Well, I told him I needed time to think about it. I didn't think it was a good idea."

"Why not? You _are_ having a baby together; it would make sense for you to live together."

"It's not like we are a couple, Angela."

"I'm sorry?" Angela replied, slightly discouraged by her friend's attitude. "Did you just say you two aren't a couple? Oh, Sweetie…"

"What?"

"Don't you think it's time you give the man a chance? I saw you together after you told you had slept together: you were practically undressing each other with your eyes. You looked happy, Brennan; and so did Booth."

"I know," Bones replied in a small voice.

"It's not that scary, Sweetie. Booth loves you and he cares about you; but he's not going to wait around for you forever, you know. Just remember how you felt when he was with Hannah. Are you sure you want to live through that again?"

"You're right."

"I am?" Angela asked, not used to her friend agreeing with her so easily.

"Yes, you are. I have admitted to Booth in the past that I didn't want to have any regrets when it came to him. It would be foolish for me not to act on my feelings for him now that he isn't in a committed relationship."

A smile tugged at Angela's lips as she forced herself not to tell her best friend her partner was already in a committed relationship with her. Satisfied by their conversation, Angela made her way to the door.

"Come on, Sweetie. I think it's time to properly celebrate that baby's future arrival with your friends."

Bones gulped. Suddenly, telling the others didn't seem like such a good idea.

"I'm not sure I can, Ange."

"Then let me take care of it."

* * *

><p>Up on the platform, the team was seated on the comfortable couches, unaware of the conversation taking place below them. Booth, who had grabbed a chair from the meeting table, was discussing the case with Sweets, while Cam listened to Hodgins' rambles about his son who was sleeping peacefully in his father's arms. They didn't even notice Angela and Bones approaching.<p>

"Everybody, Brennan has something she would like to say to all of you!"

Instantly, the conversation stopped. The team looked up at two friends expectantly. Glancing over at her partner for support, Booth shot her a half-smile. Taking a deep breath, Bones turned back to her friends.

"I just wanted to tell you that… Booth and I are expecting a baby by December."

Silence filled the room as the news slowly settled in. Anxiously, Bones waited for their reaction. Everyone seemed stunned by what they had just heard. Suddenly, a cacophony of voices exploded as everyone got to their feet and began talking all at the same time.

Hodgins and Wendell shook Booth's hand, as Cam and Sweets congratulated the anthropologist. As everybody talked amongst themselves about the future of the two partners, Booth made his way towards the mother of his child.

"It wasn't so, was it?" he teased her, his smile larger than she had ever seen it.

Booth, chuckling, pulled her into a hug and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

"You still want to live with the mother of your child?" Bones asked him, looking up at him, a tiny smile on her lips.

Booth gaped at her.

"Really?" he asked, barely containing his joy.

Bones nodded.

"What are you two whispering about?" Angela cried from the couch.

In an instant, all eyes were on them. The couple smiled happily at them.

"We," Booth replied, "are moving in together!"

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued... really soon, I hope.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. Here is the next instalment for this story. Hopefully it will make up for the long silence.**

**A/N2: Thank you for your opinions on the sex of the baby. Of course, I already know what it is… stay tune!**

**By the way, this will seem like a really odd question, but did we get a scene where Angela first felt her baby kicking? I missed half of the season due to the presence on the show of a person who shall remain anonymous. I stopped after the "Jersey Shore" episode and I only started watching it again when Booth broke up with whom-who-must-be-named (with the exception of the Doctor in the Photo). Anything else important I might have missed concerning Angela's pregnancy (beside the Braxton Hicks contractions and the whole "Staccato" fiasco)? Wouldn't want to make mistakes. Thank you for your help!**

* * *

><p>"Come on, Bones! We're going to interview Savannah Bryant's parents," Booth said, scanning himself onto the examination platform.<p>

Bones, who had been examining young Savannah's remains, looked up at her partner. Their eyes locked and Bones felt her heartbeat accelerating. A bit more than two weeks had passed since they had announced the future arrival of their baby. Then Parker had come to spend some time with his father and Booth had taken those weeks off. They hadn't seen each other since that fateful day where she had agreed to move in with him. As he stood in front of her, she realized how much she had missed him.

Only three days back on the job and death had already knocked at his door. Savannah Bryant, 22, had been found in a ditch, hidden under a pile of branches. The college student had disappeared a year before from Virginia. Bones had determined time of death as four to six months, making Booth wonder where the girl had been for the six months prior to her death.

"I still don't know cause of death, Booth."

Booth shrugged.

"Let Clark handle it."

Bones knew Clark was well able to do the work on his own.

"Fine," Bones replied, giving in.

Booth smiled at her.

* * *

><p>"How was your vacation with your son?" Bones asked as Booth pulled out of the parking lot.<p>

Her partner grinned.

"It was just amazing, Bones! I have never spent so much time with him, before. We had a lot of fun. I even got to bring him back to Rebecca's. I'm sure she was convinced I wouldn't bring him back."

"It must have been difficult to drive him back?"

Booth shrugged.

"It was, but now I know I'll get to see him soon. Rebecca agreed for me to have him three out of four weekends a month. That's the amount of weekends I used to have him in a year."

Bones smiled at her partner.

"I'm really happy for you, Booth. You deserve to see your son as much as you want."

Booth turned to her and smiled. His vacation with his son had been wonderful, but he had missed her during those two weeks. Taking her hand into his, he told her so. Blushing, Bones turned her gaze towards the window.

Stopping at a red light, Booth let go of her hand.

"I almost forgot!" Booth said, reaching out for something on the backseat.

Bones immediately missed the feeling of his hand on hers. Seeing her partner couldn't reach what he was looking for, she offered him her help and grabbed the folded piece of paper sitting on the backseat.

"What is it?" she asked, confused.

"Unfold it," her partner simply replied. "I think I've found us our dream home."

It wasn't the same house he had found a couple of months ago, but this new one would suit their needs a lot better.

"I found it last week. I printed out the ad for you. Look at it. It has four bedrooms, a backyard, it's affordable for the both of us _and_ it's near the lab and my office. That way, if you ever have to go to the lab during your maternity leave, I'll be close enough to drive back home to take care of the baby while you're gone."

Bones looked up from the ad and turned to her friend.

"You thought about all of that?"

"Of course, Bones. I'm taking all of this very seriously. Plus, I wanted to show that house before you changed your mind about moving in with me."

Booth chuckled, earning him a small punch on the shoulder.

"It does seem appropriate for us."

"So, should I schedule an appointment? We could go visit the house sometime soon."

Bones nodded.

The Bryant's lived on a former farm. The driveway extended for over a mile before leading the SUV to an old farmhouse hidden behind some pine trees. An old barn now served as a garage for the Bryant's two cars. Parking the SUV in front of the wooden barn, Booth turned to his partner.

"I'm really happy we're doing this."

Bones eyed him, confused.

"What? Talking to Savannah's parents?"

Booth forced himself not to roll his eyes at her cluelessness.

"No, Bones. I'm happy we are moving in together. It'll be great! We'll be able to raise the baby together!"

Bones stopped herself from telling her partner she already knew he wanted to raise the baby with her. Instead, she simply smiled at him.

Leaning in closer, Booth kissed her sweetly on the lips before staring into her stunned eyes.

"Come on," he said, slowly pulling back. "Let's go talk to Savannah's parents."

Bones nodded, taken aback.

Climbing out of the SUV, the couple slowly made their way towards the house. The farmhouse had been built further away from the barn. A large stone path, surrounded by bushes of flowers, led the way to the front porch.

Suddenly, the front door opened and a tall man stepped onto the porch. His hands held a hunting rifle. The couple stopped in their tracks.

"Who are you?" The man demanded, the gun pointing directly at them.

"FBI!" Booth cried, flashing his badge. "I'm here to talk to you about Savannah."

The man took a step forward. His eyes stared menacingly at them.

"Get off my property," the man warned. "You are not setting one foot inside my house!"

"Sir, we just want to talk to you about your daughter," Booth replied, as the couple continued to make their way towards the house.

"The hell you won't! You take one more step and I'll shoot you!"

From inside the house, Booth heard a woman beg for the man to lower his gun. Booth inadvertently took a step forward.

He heard the shot more than he saw the man's finger pull the trigger. In an instant, Booth drew his weapon, demanding that Bryant drop his gun. The man did no such a thing. A second shot came at them. Aiming for the man's hand, Booth shot him, forcing the man to drop his gun.

From behind him, he heard someone whimper. Turning around, he saw his partner fall to her knees.


	8. Chapter 8

"Booth?" Bones said as she fell to her knees.

The pain was blinding. Her skin burned from where the bullet had whipped her. Looking up at her partner, she heard her partner mumble something about backup and paramedics into his cellphone before walking up to the porch where Savannah's father stood, holding his injured hand.

Anger boiled in Booth's veins as he grabbed Savannah's father by his shirt and forced him to his feet. Ignoring the man's grunt of pain, he shoved him against the side of the house. Forcing him against the wooden wall, Booth took out his handcuffs.

"Mr. Bryant, you are under arrest for assaulting a federal office," Booth said as he roughly handcuffed the man, disregarding his injured hand. "_Nobody_ takes a shot at my partner._ Understand_?"

Bryant nodded.

Bones slowly go to her feet, wincing in pain. Carefully, she walked towards the porch and sat down on the stairs. Her arm burned, the pain making her want to pass out. She wondered how long it would take for the paramedics to arrive.

She looked over at her partner who was now questioning Bryant. She could see the anger flaring in his eyes as he forced Savannah's father to sit on a chair. Turning her head back around, she stared down the end of the driveway, hoping the paramedics would come soon.

* * *

><p>The paramedics had arrived fifteen minutes later. A bandage had been wrapped around her arm. One of the men had insisted on bringing her back to the hospital but Bones had declined. If the pain worsened, she would go to a hospital in DC. Sensing she would not change her mind, the paramedics had simply left.<p>

Booth now seemed lost in his thoughts as they pulled out of the Bryant's driveway. Bones looked over at him, wondering what he was thinking. He had been awfully quiet after Bryant's arrest, only speaking brief words to her. She knew he would have to interview Savannah's father again later that day, but she wondered if it was the best thing. Maybe she should advise him to ask Sweets to conduct the interview. From what she had seen on the porch, Booth wasn't about to let go of the fact Bryant had shot at her.

"I don't want you to come on the field with me anymore."

His words brought her back to reality.

"What did you say?"

They had reached the highway. Pulling over to the side, Booth parked the SUV and turned to her.

"I don't want you to come with me onto the field anymore. It's too dangerous, Bones. You could have been badly injured today. You're lucky it's only a bullet-whip."

"I think you're worrying for nothing, Booth. It's not like we will get shot at every time we go interview people."

"Yeah well, I don't want to take the chance. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you or to the baby."

Booth sighed, sensing a debate coming on.

"Come on, I am not asking for much here. All I want is for you to stay at the lab from now. You can still come out to a crime scene with me. That's if your stomach can handle it."

Booth chuckled, but fell quiet when he noticed his partner's serious expression.

"So, what? Just because I'm pregnant now means that I can't do my job?"

"You can do _your_ job. Your job is to examine remains in a lab. _I_ question the people, Bones, not you."

Memories of a certain conversation, years back, flashed through her mind. They had had that same conversation nearly 7 years ago. Suddenly, a wave of anger swept over her.

"I just don't understand why you are panicking, Booth. I'm fine! The bullet only grazed my arm; it didn't even go near the baby."

Booth stared into her eyes, not believing what he had just heard. Was she that naïve, that clueless?

"When are you going to take your head out of the sand, Bones, and start realizing that you're going to be a mother? From now on, things aren't going to be just about you. You need to start thinking about that kid and not just yourself."

The words stung her deep. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Bones turned away and looked out the window, tears threatening to fall.

"Take me back to the lab," she whispered her voice thick with sadness.

Without a word, Booth pulled the SUV back onto the highway.

* * *

><p>The SUV came to a stop at the main entrance. Bones looked over at her partner who still hadn't spoken a word to her. His eyes stared stubbornly ahead. Sighing, she climbed out of the SUV. A few steps up the stairs leading to the main entrance, she heard the SUV roll away. A fresh batch of tears threatened, once again, to spill. Quickly, Bones made her way to her office, avoiding everyone's gaze.<p>

What had gone so wrong? One minute Booth was kissing her; the next, he was telling her harsh words. Their earlier conversation about their home now seemed surreal, as though it had happened in a dream.

Closing the door behind her, Bones let herself collapse onto her chair. Elbows resting on her desk, she buried her head into her hands and let her tears spill.

* * *

><p><strong>Am I the only one who thinks that "aggressive" Booth is HOT? lol Thought it was about time he protected his partner like he used to do (remember season 1 when Booth threatened that gang member?).<strong>

**And did you really think I would seriously injure Bones or the baby? I am not THAT cruel! ;)  
><strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you again for your reviews. Sorry the last two chapters were so short; they were actually meant to be one chapter in the beginning, but then I felt it would be much better to leave Bones getting hurt as a cliffhanger. Here's another short chapter, but I am sure you will really appreciate it. Have fun! And don't forget to leave your comment at the door! :)**

* * *

><p>After taking some pain killers, Bones had spent the rest of her day in her office, thinking about her conversation with her partner. She knew Booth was right: even though the probabilities of her getting hurt were pretty slim, being out on the field did mean exposing herself to some danger. By the end of the afternoon, she had agreed to follow Booth's advice and stay at the lab from now on. Nonetheless, Booth's harsh words still echoes in her mind. Was she really selfish? Did she only think of herself and not her baby?<p>

She had debated the idea all afternoon. Now stopped in front of the gate separating the property from the street, she was still unsure if this impromptu visit was such a good one. But before she could change her mind, she pressed the buzzer. If one person could soothe her worries, it was her best friend.

The gate opened. Bones slowly drove down the long driveway surrounded by tall trees. The main house eventually appeared and she saw her best friend walking down the stairs and making her way to her, her son in her arms. Her expression showed her concern and her confusion. Bones couldn't be surprised: it was her the first time she had ever stepped foot in Angela's new home.

"Brennan?" she asked, as Bones stepped out of her car. "What are you doing here?"

A fresh batch of tears, brought on by Angela's genuine concern, threatened to fall, but Bones forced them in. She needed her friend's advice and crying wouldn't give her that.

"I need to talk to you about something," she replied, in a shaky voice.

Seeing the tears and sadness in her friend's eyes, Angela felt her heart melt. What had happened _now_? Expecting the worst, Angela led her friend inside.

"Did you and Booth have a fight?" she asked as they stepped into the house.

"How did you know?"

Angela chuckled at her friend's surprise.

"I know you, Sweetie. If there's one person in the world who can make you cry, it's Booth."

Leading the way, Angela brought her friend to the living room. Setting Michael into his playpen, Angela joined her friend on the couch. She watched as Bones quietly examined her surroundings, probably wondering what the point of having so many rooms in a house was. Suddenly, her eyes fell on the bandage wrapped around her friend's arm. Angela frowned, concerned.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Oh," Bones replied, throwing a nonchalant look at her injury, "I got shot."

"You got _shot?_"

She stared at her best friend in disbelief.

"I'm guessing that is why Booth and you argued?"

Bones nodded, memories of that painful conversation springing back to her mind.

"He told me to stop thinking about myself and start realizing I'm going to be a mother."

"He was probably just scared about the baby. I'm sure he didn't mean what he said," Angela replied, sensing the hurt and anger in Bones' voice.

"I only got bullet-whipped; it's nothing to worry about."

Taking her friend's hand into her own, Angela stared into her eyes.

"It is something to worry about," Angela said, hoping the words would reach her best friend. "Sweetie, you could have been shot in the heart or in the stomach. Have you thought of that?"

"He asked me to stay in the lab from now on."

"Look, Bren… I know how much you hate to be told what to do, but I think you should listen to him on this one. You're a forensic anthropologist, not an FBI agent. And even pregnant agents get pulled out of the field."

Bones nodded. When Angela put it that way, Booth's advice made sense. Yet, something still bothered her.

"What about the other thing? Do you think I'm selfish? Do I only think of myself?"

Angela shook her head.

"No, Sweetie, you are not selfish. You care about other people and I know you care about your baby. Booth knows that, too. I think you're thinking about this way too much."

"I just don't _feel_ pregnant," Bones replied, defeated. "I saw the sonogram, I've heard its heartbeat but I just… I still don't think of myself as a mother."

"I remember when I was pregnant with Michael, I felt the same way. Let me tell you, the day you will feel that baby kicking for the first time, you'll finally realize that it's there. It should come any time now. I felt Mike kick around my 4th month."

Bones lowered her eyes to her stomach. Her hand instinctively touched her round stomach.

"It's starting to show," she announced, her voice tinted with pride.

Angela smiled. She could definitely see the little bump.

"Do you think it's a boy or a girl?"

"I think it's a girl," Bones replied, confidently. "Booth wants a boy, though. I think it's because he missed out on so much with Parker, he wants to make it up somehow."

Angela gasped.

"What?" Bones asked as a smile stretched across her friend's features.

"_You_… have just used psychology," Angela replied.

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did! Temperance Brennan has used psychological reasoning! I cannot believe it!"

"Angela, stop!" Bones warned, chuckling softly.

As Angela stopped laughing, Bones also fell silent.

"What if I'm not able to? What if I can't put my child's needs first?"

"Don't worry about it, Bren. When you get there, you'll just do it instinctively."

"Maternal instinct doesn't exist, Angela."

"It doesn't matter. The second you will hold that baby, you won't even need to think about it. Everything will happen naturally."

"Then why do some parents put their needs first?"

Angela sighed, giving up on trying to soothe her friend's worries.

"I don't know what to tell you, Sweetie. I don't have all the answers to that. All I know is that you're worrying way too much. You don't drink, you don't smoke and you don't take drugs. You're eating healthily, taking your vitamins _and _you're in a relationship with the father of the baby. So far, you're doing everything just right."

A smile spread across Bones' lips. Her friend's kind words had reassured her.

"What should I do with Booth?"

"For now, you should go home and get some sleep. There's no point in talking about this tonight, if you are still mad at each other."

Bones nodded.

"Thank you, Angela."

"Any time, Sweetie. I'm always there if you need me."

Looking over at Michael, who had fallen asleep in his playpen, Bones asked:

"Can I hold him?"

"Sure."

Bones walked over to the infant sleeping peacefully. Careful as to not to wake him, she took him in her arms. Looking down at the young boy, a smile stretched across her lips. A strange feeling spread through her body. She wondered how it would feel to hold her own baby.

From the couch, Angela watched them tenderly. Her friend would be just fine. She just knew it.


	10. Chapter 10

Pacing back and forth between the window and the couch, Booth wondered if he should give his partner a call. After all, the anger from that afternoon had melted away, leaving him with a strong sense of regret and guilt. The words he had told her had simply flown out of his mouth, brought on by the fear he had felt when he had seen her on her knees, holding her arm.

Flopping himself onto his couch, Booth sighed. Things were quickly becoming more and more complicated. Five months ago, things had been simple. His partner had slept over at his apartment and they had given in to their urges. Things had happened so quickly, he hadn't realized what they had done until he had woken up holding her.

Closing his eyes, he thought back to that night. Everything had been perfect; he had felt things towards his partner that he never thought he would feel again. He loved her and, more importantly, she loved him. He knew for a fact she did. So why was she acting as if nothing had happened? He longed to hold her back in his arms again.

His cellphone lay on the table. Grabbing it, he dialled his partner's number. He listened to the ring until her answering machine picked up. Shutting the tiny phone, he sighed. Where could she be? Had something happened to her?

Feeling a bit of apprehension, Booth turned on the TV and flicked through the channels, knowing fully well he wouldn't be able to watch anything until he spoke to his partner.

* * *

><p>The sun had set by the time Bones told her friend she would let her go sleep. Angela accompanied her back to the door, telling her again not to worry about her fight with Booth and that everything would be better in the morning. Wishing her friend a good night, Bones had stepped into the darkness of the summer night.<p>

In her car, her head resting against the headrest, Bones closed her eyes. Talking to Angela had cheered her up. She had realized her fight with Booth had been irrational. She shouldn't have argued with him. Their child's safety should come first and it would. As much as it pained her, she would stay at the lab from now on.

She looked over at her cellphone lying lifelessly on the passenger seat. A red light blinked. Picking it up, she glanced at the caller ID: the dimly-lit screen showed the familiar number of her partner's phone. It was past eleven by now. Should she call him back? He hadn't left her a message.

Angela had told her to go home and get some sleep, but Bones knew that would be out of the question if she didn't talk to her partner tonight. It was a little late, but Booth had showed up many times at her apartment later than that. On that thought, Bones turned on the ignition and drove out of her friend's driveway.

* * *

><p>It was nearing 11:30 pm when Bones stepped out of the elevator and walked towards her friend's apartment. The hall was too quiet, making her feel edgy. She clearly remembered the last time she had been here. If only she would have known that last visit would alter their lives for ever, she wasn't sure she would have agreed to sleep over. Things had become complicated since then.<p>

Stopping in front of his door, she took a deep breath. Nervousness overtook her as she knocked and waited for her partner to come to the door. Dozens of questions raced through her mind. How would he react? Was he still mad at her? Why had he called?

The door opened and there he was, standing in front of her. His sleepy eyes told her he had probably been sleeping or on the verge to.

"Hey… Did I wake you?"

Booth shrugged.

"I guess I felt asleep on the couch," he replied, surprised to see her. "What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?"

Booth felt his heart swell with love. She looked almost vulnerable, standing outside his apartment, worry filling here yes. Booth stepped aside to let her in.

"You were right," she said as she walked in and made her way to the living room. "I was thinking about myself when I should have been thinking about our baby. I apologize."

Booth smiled, relieved.

"Will you be staying at the lab from now on?"

Bones nodded.

"And what you said about me only thinking of myself…"

"I'm sorry, Bones," Booth said, interrupting her and sitting down beside her on the couch.

"I am not a selfish person, Booth."

Booth felt a fresh wave of guilt wash over him. He shouldn't have said what he said; the fright of almost losing the two most important people in his life had pushed him to say things he hadn't meant. He was about to voice his thoughts when Bones cut him off.

"Even if your words did hurt me, I know you didn't really mean. You just want what's best for the baby."

"Not just for the baby, Bones. I want what's best for you too. I don't want to raise that kid alone. Haven't I made that clear yet? Because I really thought I had…"

Booth threw her his charm smile, making her smile.

"Look, Bones. I'm really sorry about what I said today. I just got so scared of losing both of you."

Putting his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her to him. Bones sighed softly as she sunk into his embrace. A smile tugged at her lips as she felt him kiss the top of her head. His free hand made its way to her stomach. The warm contact of his skin against hers made her shiver.

"Have you felt it kick yet?" Booth asked, caressing the small bump.

Holding her in his arms again felt great. He was definitely going to take advantage of it.

"Not yet," Bones replied, enjoying the softness of his touch. "But Angela said that it should be soon."

Booth gave her another quick kiss on the top of her head.

"You know, we should consider telling Parker about this. It's been four months now. I think it's time."

"You haven't told him yet?" Bones asked, surprised. "After all, you told Rebecca."

"I was waiting for you to tell him. I wanted us to be together when we did. I just didn't want him to think that his brother or sister would go through the same thing he's going through with Rebecca and me. The other day, he told me he wished we would stop arguing all the time."

"I doubt Parker will even think about that. Things between us are a lot different than they are between you and his mother."

"Really?" Booth asked, suddenly interested by where this conversation could be leading.

"Of course they are."

"Different, how?" he asked, giving her another kiss on the top of her head.

"Well, we work together," Bones started.

"What else?" Booth replied, this time kissing her forehead.

"We're friends."

A kiss on the cheek.

Bones' eyes closed unwillingly. She wasn't sure what was happening, but she loved the effect Booth was having on her. As Booth continued to kiss her softly, images of their previous passionate night flashed in her mind. Was this where things were going?

Slowly, she lost the ability to think. The images blurred until they were shapeless memories. She wanted to speak but her brain seemed to have shut off. Goosebumps appeared and a jolt of electricity ran up her spine.

"And we love each other?" Booth ventured, this time kissing her neck.

"Maybe…"

Looking up at her partner, she captured his lips with her own.

She woke up feeling the warmth of his skin against hers. Opening her eyes, she looked over at the clock. The digits glowed 4:47.

* * *

><p>In a few hours, she would be back at the lab, typing reports and analyzing some remains that had been waiting for years in limbo. If she was lucky, a body would be brought in for her to analyze with the help of an intern. It would be her world from now on: Booth would be out in the field, catching criminals, and she would be working in the lab… just like her life had been before had stepped back into it.<p>

Something inside of her grabbed her attention. Barely breathing, she laid still, waiting. She felt it again: a faint nudge coming from inside her stomach. As much as she didn't want to go back to her pre-Booth life, working in a lab suddenly didn't seem like such a bad idea if it meant she would be able to feel her baby kicking once more.


	11. Chapter 11

The heat wave which was plaguing the city for the past two days didn't seem about to let go. Sweat trickled down Booth's face as Parker and Booth stepped into the warm and humid air and made their way to the SUV, both holding sports bag filled with things they would need for their day out.

"We just need to make one quick stop before we hit the beach, okay Buddy?" Booth told his son as they packed the vehicle.

"Where are we going?" Parker replied, stuffing a big sports bag filled with food.

"We'll stop by Bones' apartment on the way and see if she wants to come with us."

"Cool!"

Booth smiled. At least Parker seemed to like his partner more than he had liked Hannah. The boy had even seemed relieved when Booth had told him they weren't together anymore. He hadn't inquired about Bones, but Booth was pretty sure it hadn't been too far from his mind.

"Do we have everything?" Booth asked his son as he shut the trunk.

"I think so."

Father and son climbed into the SUV. Pulling it into drive, Booth drove out of the parking lot and made his way towards his partner's apartment.

She wasn't expecting them, but Booth knew if he wanted to bring out to the beach with them, he would have to surprise her. He had called earlier pretending to be checking up on her before leaving for Virginia Beach. He knew she would be home, having told him she would probably be working on her next novel or reading a book.

Booth listened as Parker told his father about weird events that had happened at his summer camp the previous week. Eventually, his son's words turned into a blur as his own thoughts diverged. Booth wondered if it was time for him to tell Parker about his sibling. After all, if things went according to plan, Bones and him would be spending the day together, making the timing perfect.

He reached his partner's apartment in record time. Parking the vehicle in front of the apartment building, Booth unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Wait here, I'll be back in a few minutes," he told his son as he opened the door and got out of the SUV.

He knocked at her door and waited. He hadn't seen her since the night she had slept over a few nights earlier. The next morning, she had told him about the baby kicking for the first time. As happy as he had been for her, he couldn't help but feel a little envious: he couldn't wait to feel it kick too, but he knew by experience that it could take a while before he could.

The door opened and there she stood in front of him. She wasn't wearing any makeup, her hair was still dishevelled and her pyjamas left not much to the imagination. Feeling his pulse quickening, Booth stepped forward and kissed her tenderly.

"Good morning," he said as he pulled away.

"What are you doing here?" Bones replied, confused. "I thought you were going to the beach with Parker."

"I am. And you are coming with us! I figured it would be something fun for us to do and we could tell him about the baby."

Sensing she was about to argue, Booth went on.

"I am not taking no for an answer. Come on, it'll be fun!"

Bones sighed, knowing fully well she wouldn't win that conversation.

"Fine," she replied, giving in to his request. "Give me a few minutes to get ready."

"I'll wait for you in the car."

Fifteen minutes later, Bones was joining father and son in the SUV. Parker, who had been facing away from the window, didn't notice the change of weight in his father's partner.

"Hello Parker," Bones said as she climbed into the backseat.

"Hey Bones."

"Please Parker, call me Temperance."

Booth looked at her through the rear-view mirror, brows cocked in surprise. Bones threw him a half-smile in response. She then listened as her partner and his son discussed the day's activities. Parker wanted to stop at a restaurant near the beach for dinner, Booth preferred to drive back to Washington and eat on the way.

In the backseat, Bones looked out the window, her hand resting on her stomach. Booth wanted to tell Parker about the baby. Even though she knew it was a good and inevitable idea, she felt nervous. What if Parker wasn't happy? He would probably ask them if they were getting married, which was a delicate matter on Booth's end. What could Booth reply? Were they even something?

"Guess what, Buddy? Temperance and I have something to tell you."

His voice brought her back to reality.

"Really? What?"

"Well," Booth replied, throwing a quick glance at his partner, "in a couple of months, you will be getting a little baby brother or sister. Temperance is pregnant."

Surprised, Parker turned around to look at the scientist sitting behind him. Now that he looked at her, he could definitely tell she was expecting.

"Really?" he asked, eyes wide open and grinning from ear-to-ear. "Cool!"

Parker turned back to his father.

"Does that mean you two are getting married?"

Bones could see her partner's tensed jaw.

"No, Parker, we are not getting married," Booth told his son.

"But is she your girlfriend?"

Obviously, the pre-teen wasn't about to drop the subject.

"Yes, she is. But we are not getting married."

"Awesome!"

The drive down to Virginia Beach took over four hours. When Booth finally parked the SUV at Sandbridge Beach, the three of them were more than happy to stretch out their legs. After unpacking the car, Bones followed the Booth boys down the bridge leading to the beach. She noticed the sandy strip was nearly deserted, a few families here and there. A soft breeze blew, a nice contrast to the hot and humid weather in Washington.

Stopping at their favourite spot, Booth and Parker dropped their belongings and began to unpack. Bones watched as they pulled plastic containers, beach towels, umbrellas, and swimming gears out of the multiple sports bags.

"Are you hungry?" Booth asked them as he spread a blanket on the sand.

"I'm starving!" Parker replied.

"How about you, Bones?"

Slightly uncomfortable by the new situation, Bones simply nodded. She hadn't spent that much time with Booth and her son in the past, especially during the "Hannah" phase. The way both of them acted as though she was part of their family made her feel a tad uneasy.

_Better get used to it_, her inside voice told her.

The trio sat down. As Parker began to pass out plates, Booth and Bones opened the different containers. They ate in silence, all three too hungry to talk. After lunch, Booth and Parker got ready to hit the water.

"Shouldn't you wait before you go swimming?" Bones asked as she took a book out of her bag.

"You go," Booth told his son. "Stay where I can see you. I'll be over in a minute."

Parker nodded before taking off towards the Atlantic Ocean. Booth turned to his partner.

"Are you coming?"

Under her tank top, Booth could distinguish the straps of the bikini she was wearing.

"I think I'll just stay here and read for a while."

Booth sighed, visibly disappointed by her reluctance to go in the water with them.

"I haven't worn a bathing suit in ages," she lied, embarrassed by her true feelings.

She couldn't tell him the truth: that she didn't like her new body with its round stomach, and its tiny red stretch marks.

"Come on, Bones, we've already seen you in a bathing suit. Parker and I go swimming in your pool all the time. It's not that scary; see, I'm doing it," he replied as he stripped himself out of his clothes.

Bones looked away, feeling warmth on her cheeks. The sight of his nicely-shaped body threw her pregnant hormones into a frenzy.

"You should really put some sunscreen on," Bones warned her partner. "You don't want to get sunburned."

"I'll be fine," Booth said as he crouched down and kissed her. "Are you sure you don't want to go swimming? It'll be fun."

"Maybe later," Bones replied, uncomfortable.

She watched as Booth made his way towards the water. Then, picking up her book, Bones turned her attention to the imaginary world of her favourite characters.

A shadow coming her way was made Bones look up from her book an hour later. Seconds later, Booth was stretching out on his towel beside her, a few drops of water still sliding down his skin.

"Are you checking me out?" Booth asked, teasingly, seeing her eyes on him.

"Where's Parker?" Bones replied, ignoring his question.

Booth chuckled.

"He met a girl."

"He met a_ girl?_"

"Yeah, her name is Abigail something. He went off with her to build sandcastles. He must really like her if he agreed to build _sandcastles_."

"And you let him?"

"Bones, he's almost 11. Besides, she's here with her family."

Propping himself on his elbows, Booth stared at his son who was actively helping the construction of the castle along with his new friends. It suddenly hit him how tall his son was. Abigail stood a whole head shorter than him. Soon enough, in a few years, Parker would be as tall as him.

"I can't believe how tall he's grown. Soon, he'll be a teenager. Can you believe it? I missed everything about his childhood."

Then, flipping onto his stomach, he turned his attention to his unborn child.

"But that won't happen with my little baby boy, will it?"

Bones rolled her eyes.

"Still convinced it's a boy?" she asked, teasingly.

"Of course," Booth replied, matter-of-factly. "It has to be."

"What if it's a girl?"

"Then she will be daddy's little girl."

Giving the stomach a quick kiss, he ran his hand over the bump.

"I can't wait to feel it kick for the first time. Is it moving a lot?"

Bones shrugged. She hadn't felt it move that much since that first night but, every now and then, she would feel a faint nudge coming from inside her. She told her partner so.

"Soon, you'll be feeling it move all the time."

"I can't wait!" Bones replied, sarcastically.

Staring out at the ocean in front of her, Bones wondered if now was a good time to bring out the things she had on her mind. While Booth and Parker had gone out to swim, in between paragraphs of her book, she had thought about Booth's possible secret desire to get married. It had been mentioned several times that a wedding was not in the near-future, yet they hadn't truly talked about it before. The afternoon was perfect, so far; she hated to ruin it. But, she needed to know.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked, her eyes still fixed on the waves washing ashore.

"Sure, Bones. Anything…"

"Why did you tell Parker that I was your girlfriend?"

The question took him by surprise. Booth looked up at his partner.

"Well, aren't you?" he asked, feeling his heartbeat picking up its pace.

"I don't know."

"I want you to be," he ventured, unsure how she would react to his statement.

"Do you think it's a good idea? I mean, what if the FBI finds out? We won't be able to work together anymore."

"It's a possibility, but does it matter? You'll be staying at the lab from now on."

"I guess," Bones replied, not entirely convinced.

"Something else is bothering you."

Bones nodded. Sometimes, it frightened her how Booth could seem to read her mind when she had trouble understanding him.

"How do you feel about us not getting married?"

Again, her question caught him off guard. It was unlike her to bring up serious matters like this.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're the religious and marrying type. It must be bothering you that we are having this child out of wedlock."

A shadow swept over his eyes and Bones immediately regretted her question.¸

"It does bother me, Bones. I would like to spend my life with you, but I understand that you don't want to get married. I accept that."

"Does this mean you will never ask me to marry you? I just don't want to put you through rejection like Rebecca and Hannah did."

Anger boiled in his veins as he thought about those proposals. Twice he had been rejected for only following his heart's desires and his morals. And, here he was, stepping on them once again.

"Let's make a compromise here."

"Okay…" Bones replied, unsure of where this conversation was going.

"I don't ask you to marry me, but you let our baby get baptized."

Bones grimaced. The thought of baptizing her baby had never crossed her mind. Nonetheless, she had to agree that the compromise was a good one.

"Fine."

"Okay, now it's my turn to ask you a question. Do you think you'll ever be up for marriage?"

The way his eyes bore into hers, tender and vulnerable, made her uncomfortable. She had thought of marriage before, but she had never found a good reason to actually go through with the idea.

"When and _if_ I do get married," she began, choosing her words carefully, "I want it to be for the good reasons, not just because I'm having a baby or already have one with that person. I'm not saying you can propose any time soon. I'm just saying that I am not completely closed to the idea."

Booth smiled.

"Tell you what… When you think you're ready to get married, drop some hints. I promise I'll pick them up."

"I don't know what that means."

Booth chuckled and turned his attention to his baby.

"Your mother is just the most adorable person in the whole world," he said to the stomach.

"Why? What did I do?"

Propping himself on his elbow, Booth looked up at his girlfriend and stared into her delicate blue eyes.

"I love you."

The words sounded like music to her ears as her heartbeat grew faster and louder. For so long, she had waited for him to say these words to her once again. Yet, she wasn't sure how to react. Did she love him too? Was she ready to lose that last tiny bit of imperviousness and tell him the same?

"You don't have to tell me yet, if you don't feel comfortable," Booth said, seeing the internal conflict displayed in her eyes.

"It's not that I don't feel that way, Booth. I just can't say it."

Booth leaned in closer and pressed his lips against hers.

"I know that, Bones. Don't worry, I'll wait for it."

Leaning in once more, he captured her lips with his own.

"Dad!"

Groaning, Booth looked up to find his son and his new friend making their way towards them.

"What is it, Parker?"

"Can I eat dinner with Abigail's parents?"

Booth sat up.

"I don't know, Buddy."

"It's okay, Mr. Booth," Abigail chimed in. "We are just going to Sandbridge Island Pizza. You are more than welcome to come, if you'd like. My parents won't mind. We will probably be meeting there around 4 pm. Is that okay with you?"

Booth couldn't help but smile at the politeness of his son's new friend. After telling Parker to come help them pack before dinner, the two kids took off in the same direction they had come.

Bones got to her feet and stretched.

"You know what? I think I'll go for a swim."

"Really?" Booth asked her, surprised.

"Yeah well, I've never been swimming in the Atlantic Ocean before."

He watched as she stripped herself of her regular clothing. Grabbing her hand, he led her towards the water.

"By the way, Booth, you have a sunburn on your back!"


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Just a little thank you to my reviewers and especially to Boneslover10 who is always helpful with her reviews and has really become my critical eye! :P Thanks to her, minor errors in Chapter 11 have been corrected. **

**This is just another short chapter, but full of fun and important stuff. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p>Summer had officially passed on its torch to the fall. Leaves had yet to begin changing colors, yet the temperature had dropped a few degrees over the last couple of weeks. Parker had gone back to school two weeks earlier, starting his last year of elementary school, having turned 11 years old the previous weekend.<p>

With only three and a half months to go, Bones' condition could no longer be disguised with loose clothing and thick coats. People congratulated her in stores and restaurants, making Bones irritated.

"They are just being nice," Booth would tell her when she would complain about it. "It's what people do."

Their offer for the house had also been accepted. A moving date had been set for the end of October, but a lot of renovations still needed to be done. Walls needed painting, floors needed cleaning, and the backyard needed a lawnmower. They still needed to decide who got which bedroom and Booth had yet to convince his partner that they could share the same bedroom.

Things were unravelling quickly but Bones held on. Her flight response still kicked in strongly, but she resisted. She couldn't afford to be scared anymore. The little kicks and nudges she felt more and more reminded her of her new role. Someone was depending on her now.

It had been a very long day. A new body had been brought in; another child. Bones had resisted imagining her own child on that table while Booth had refused to even go near the remains. In the end, Wendell had performed the examination and Bones had simply reviewed his findings. The 8-year-old boy had been identified as Liam Smyth. Booth had already interviewed the boy's parents and had arrived at his partner's apartment strained and depressed.

Now sitting in her bed, Booth lay on his stomach, once again talking to his unborn child, convinced the baby could everything. Bones watched him, resisting to the urge of telling him the baby couldn't understand a word he was saying; she knew he secretly hoped to be there when the baby kicked hard enough for him to feel it.

"Have you thought about some names?" Booth asked as he caressed the stomach.

"Actually, I have."

Booth looked up, surprised.

"You have?"

Bones nodded.

"Why are you so surprised, Booth? It's perfectly logical for a mother to think about what her child's name is going to be."

"Well, I found a name too. You go first."

"I thought we could name our baby boy Vincent."

Booth smiled.

"That's a great idea, Bones. Since you named our son, can I name our daughter?"

"Sure."

"How about Caitlin? For some reason, since you told me you were pregnant, this name has been popping into my head."

Bones pondered on the name for a second before agreeing it did fit perfectly.

"Wow! We actually agree on something here," Booth replied.

Bones chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Let's see if we'll agree on the next thing. Should we know the sex of the baby? My doctor's appointment is in two days. We'll be able to find out if we want to."

"Do you want to know?" Booth asked.

"Do you?"

"I was kind of hoping it would be a surprised."

"If we know in advance, we can start getting the bedroom ready. What's the point in renovating the baby's room if we don't know whether it's a boy or a girl? We won't know what colors to use or what kind of clothing to buy."

"Okay, okay… we'll find out."

He wasn't going to argue with her on that. Her argument made sense and he knew she wouldn't let go of them.

"We don't have to find out if you don't want to."

In response, Booth pressed its lips against hers.

"Will you stop arguing with me?" he asked before kissing her again, this time more passionately.

* * *

><p>Lying on her back, Bones turned to her partner and smiled. Booth, panting slightly, propped himself on an elbow.<p>

"You… will kill me of these days," he said as he leaned in to kiss her.

Bones smiled.

"I am pretty good, aren't I?"

Leaning against the headboard, Booth chuckled.

"But, obviously, not very modest."

Glancing at her, Booth saw her flinch.

"What's wrong?" he asked, alarmed.

Without answering him, Bones grabbed his hand and pressed it against her stomach. Booth's eyes grew wide as he felt the tiny kick in the palm of his hand. A large smile stretched across his lips.

"Wow!"

"Did you feel it? It has never kicked that hard before. It took me by surprise."

A weird feeling washed over Booth's heart: a strong sense of love he hadn't felt towards another human being since Parker. There it was: his baby saying hello to him. He couldn't deny it anymore: something was definitely living inside his partner's body.

"Thank you," he said, giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek.

"For what? I didn't do anything."

"Thank you for letting me be part of this."

"You're welcome, Booth."

* * *

><p>The week drew its end and the couple were once again sitting in the waiting room of Dr. Lowes' office, patiently waiting for the nurse to call Bones into the examination room. This time, the air was lighter. No argument would spoil the mood today, not when they were about to find out the sex of their baby.<p>

"Are you nervous?" Booth asked.

Bones, who had been flipped through a maternity magazine, looked up and shook her head.

"We've been through this before. I know what to expect."

"I know, but the last time we saw our baby, it looked like a little peanut. This time, it's going to look like a tiny person."

"What's so scary about that?"

"Nothing, Bones. Just… read your magazine."

"Okay," Bones replied before resuming her reading.

Minutes later, Bones' name echoed through the waiting room. The couple got their feet and followed the nurse down the corridor leading the examination room.

Behind the curtain, Bones changed into a gown while Booth and the nurse waited on the other side. Sitting down on the examination table, Bones told the nurse she was ready. Seconds later, the curtain was pulled open. Leaning against the wall, Booth was looking tenderly at her, a small smile decorating his face. Bones smiled back.

The nurse squirted the gel onto her stomach. The liquid was cold and made her flinch slightly at the contact of it.

"How are you feeling today?" the nurse asked as she typed something into a computer.

"Pretty good."

"Any particular symptoms or questions about your pregnancy? Will you be finding out the sex of the baby today?"

The nurse rolled the transducer around Bones' stomach.

"Because I can definitely tell what it is."

"Yes, we will," Booth replied as he walked over to his partner and grabbed her hand.

"Have thought about some names?"

"Actually, we have," Bones said. "We agreed on Vincent if it's a boy; and Caitlin, if it's a girl."

The nurse nodded.

"They are both beautiful names," she replied, typing something else into the computer and freezing the image on the screen. "Well, you will be happy to hear that Caitlin is as healthy as she could be."

Stunned, Booth and Bones exchanged glances.

"Did she just say Caitlin?" Booth asked.

The nurse smiled.

"Yes, I did. Here is your beautiful baby girl."

* * *

><p><strong>For some reason, as I typed that last sentence, I could hear an audience clapping and cheering inside my head.<strong>

**So, there you go… Caitlin is a healthy baby girl. Who is happy?  
><strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Sorry for the delay! I had been going through major writer's block with this chapter. But I think it turned out pretty good. Let me know what you thought of it! :)**

* * *

><p>The soft ticking of the clock filled the room with each second. Sweets stared at the man sitting across from him. The agent didn't seem to have the need to talk. Instead, he was examining his nails, his left leg shaking slightly. Thirty minutes had passed with the man barely muttering anything. Several times, Sweets had asked him why he had come to the meeting if he had nothing to say. The agent had simply shrugged. And Sweets had continued to wait.<p>

The faint sound of buzzing reached their ears. Agent Kenneth looked up at him but said nothing. Sweets briefly glanced down at his pocket, wondering whether or not to take the call. Agent Kenneth had gone back to examining his nails.

The phone gave two more vibes before going silent. Sweets let out a sigh.

"Listen, Agent Kenneth, if you don't want to discuss what is troubling you, I suggest we reschedule our meeting."

The phone vibrated once again. This time, Sweets didn't bother wondering. He fetched the phone from his pocket and, without apologizing, flipped it open.

_Diner 12:30. Booth_

Sweets shoved the phone into his pocket and looked up.

"Let's reschedule."

* * *

><p>"Urgh!"<p>

Wendell felt his stomach rise in his throat as Cam slowly pulled out the victim's stomach. Cam chuckled.

"No one asked you to be here," she said, a smile tugging at her lips.

Wendell looked away from the decaying body, hoping it would steady his stomach.

"I was bored. Dr. Brennan had her echography this morning and she didn't leave me any work."

Cam's face lit up.

"That's right! They were finding out the sex of the baby today."

"I hope it's a girl."

Cam looked up at the young man, quirking an eyebrow.

"Why do you care if it's a girl?"

Wendell shrugged, a half-smile plastered on his lips.

"Angela and Hodgins just had a boy. A girl would balance things out."

"I see."

Setting down the stomach in a silver plate, Cam looked up at the clock.

"They should be back by now."

From across the autopsy, a buzzing could be heard. Cam motioned to her phone.

"Could you check who that is, Mr. Bray?"

Nodding, Wendell crossed the room. Grabbing the phone, he flipped it open and read the message out loud.

_Please meet Booth and me at the Diner at 12:30. Dr. Temperance Brennan_

"It's already noon," Wendell stated as he replaced the cell phone on the counter where it had lay.

Cam sighed.

"You go ahead," she replied before turning her gaze back to the body on her table. "I just have to test her stomach content. It shouldn't take long. I'll meet you there."

Wendell agreed, forcing himself not to add that he hadn't been invited to this impromptu meeting.

* * *

><p>Loud cries echoed off the walls in the hallway, resonating into the office. Hodgins, sitting at his computer, sighed exasperatedly. Again, he tried to remember the last time his mansion had been completely quiet. Would it ever be this way again? Between Michael's crying at the top of his lungs and the barks of the new puppy Angela had <em>insisted<em> on adopting from the pound, the house was never silent.

He felt guilty. He had agreed to work from home that day to help out with his son, but even from a distance, he could almost feel Cam breathing down his neck to finish the report he had promised her the week before. From where he sat, facing the threshold separating the office and the hallway, he could definitely see Angela's state of distress and she paced back and forth, trying desperately to calm their son down. For three days now, Michael, who had been a generally quiet baby, had been piercing their eardrums with each cry.

"What is wrong with him?" Angela had asked him, tears in her eyes, the previous night.

One quick look at the baby's gums gave them the answer.

"He's teething!" Angela shrieked, making Hodgins wince.

Since then, Michael's teeth seemed to be torturing him. Teething rings would be thrown out on the floor in fits of anger, before more screams were heard.

His cellphone rang from beside the laptop but Hodgins barely heart it over Michael's cries. Picking it up, he read the message.

"Angela!"

Angela, who had been passing in front of the office, stopped in her tracks.

"What do you want, Hodgins?" she asked, her annoyance obvious in her tone.

"It's Brennan. She wants us to meet her at the Diner."

Angela sighed. The last thing she wanted was to take a shrieking baby out in a public place, but the walls of the house seemed to be closing in her own. She needed fresh air. They all did.

"Michael, if I take you for a car ride, will you stop crying?"

The boy looked up at his mother and let out another piercing cry.

* * *

><p>"Where <em>are<em> they? They're all late!" Bones said as she glanced towards the door for what seemed to Booth like the hundredth time.

"Would you just relax? It's only 12:35."

"Well, what's the point in setting a time to meet if nobody is there on time?"

Annoyed, Booth's jaw clenched. He was about to reply when the door to the Diner opened. Sweets walked in and quickly made his way to their table.

"Why am I here, Booth?" he immediately asked as he sat down in an empty chair. "Is something wrong with you two?"

"You'll see when everybody gets here," Booth replied, calmly, a bizarre smile stretching across his lips.

He turned his eyes towards his girlfriend. Her own smile slowly illuminated her features. Sweets, confused, looked at his colleagues before realization dawned on him.

"You found out the sex of the baby!" he cried, happily. "What is it?"

"How… How did he know?" Bones asked, looking over at her partner.

Booth shrugged.

"So? What is it?"

Booth shook his head, chuckling.

"No way, Sweets. You wait for the others to arrive."

The door chimed once more as it opened. The trio looked up to see Wendell and Cam walking towards them.

"I've got a dead body waiting for me back at the lab," Cam said as she sat down beside Bones. "What's up, Booth?"

"They're going to tell us the sex of the baby!" Sweets replied, a little too enthusiastically.

"No way!" Wendell said, taking a seat beside Booth. "That is awesome!"

"Yeah well, as _awesome_ as it is, you guys will have to wait until everybody is here," Booth replied.

"Who else are we waiting for?"

A shriek drowned what had been Bones' answer to the question. They all looked up to see Angela, holding a crying Michael, coming towards them, Hodgins in tow.

"They look exhausted," Sweets muttered to Wendell who nodded.

"Sorry we're late, Sweetie," Angela said as she pulled a chair to the table. "I couldn't get him to stop crying."

"Obviously, you still haven't succeeded," Bones replied, bluntly.

Booth kicked her under the table.

"Ow!"

Bones turned to her partner.

"That was a little harsh, Bones," Booth whispered.

"What? It's true. Michael is still crying; evidently, she still hasn't got him to stop."

"He's teething," Angela replied, her eyes on her friend. "Just wait and see when your kid starts having teeth."

An awkward silence fell across the table, punctuated only by Michael's incessant sobs.

"So? Why are we all here?" Hodgins asked, a few seconds later.

Bones sat up straight, her smile back on his lips.

"Booth and I have an announcement to make. Well, two announcements, actually."

The couple smiled at each other before turning towards their friends.

"We've bought a house _and_ we're having a girl."

A second silence spread between them, before a burst of voices exploded in the Diner. All of them began to speak at the same time: some congratulated the happy couple; others expressed their happiness for their friends. Michael, stunned by this sudden outburst of noise, fell quiet.

"Let's all have some lunch!" Hodgins announced. "I'm buying!"

* * *

><p>Most of the customers had already left when Cam finally looked at her watch.<p>

"Well, I have to get back to the lab," she said as she pushed back her chair. "My victim won't autopsy herself. But I am so happy for you!"

"Thanks Cam," Booth and Bones replied simultaneously.

"Yeah, I have to get back to the office too," Sweets added. "I have a patient probably waiting for me as we speak."

More congratulations were passed on; then, Sweets, Cam and Wendell walked out of the Diner.

"We should get going too," Angela said, looking over at Michael who had finally fallen sleep. "I don't know how long he will stay like that. Are we still on for Saturday?"

The question had aimed at Booth, who nodded. Bones' eyes shifted from her friend to her partner.

"What about Saturday?"

"Oh, I offered to babysit Michael for the weekend," Booth replied nonchalantly.

Bones raised her eyebrows.

"You did? Why?"

A smile stretched across his lips.

"Well, actually, I volunteered _us_ to take care of him."

"Booth!" Bones replied, indignantly.

"Oh, come on Babe, it'll be good practice."

Bones frowned.

"Did you just call me babe?"

"Did he just call you babe?" Angela asked, a smile slowly stretching on her lips.

Ignoring the question, Booth chuckled and got to his feet, before following Hodgins to the cash. Angela and Bones pushed back their chairs and walked out of the Diner, where the fresh air was a nice contrast with the heat inside the restaurant.

"How is it going between you and Booth?" Angela asked, as she arranged Michael in his car seat.

"It's okay."

"Just _okay_?"

Bones looked away, obviously flustered.

"We made a deal."

Angela frowned, waited for more. But Bones said nothing else.

"What kind of deal?"

Bones turned to face her friend.

"Well, you know how Booth is the marrying kid and I'm not? Basically, we came to a compromise that… if we didn't get married, then Caitlin would have to be baptized."

"Really?"

Bones nodded. Then, biting her lip nervously, she asked:

"Would you be Caitlin's godmother?"

Angela let out a loud squeal, and then quickly brought a hand to her mouth as she remembered her son sound asleep.

"Of course, Sweetie, I'll be her godmother!" she replied, lowering her voice.


End file.
